Thermoregulatory responses to cold during a 7-week acclimatization process in rabbits

A group of six rabbits reared at +20 degrees C ambient temperature was adapted to moderate cold by housing for seven weeks at +10 degrees C. Rectal and skin temperatures, metabolic heat production and respiratory evaporative heat loss were recorded continuously over 1 h for each animal on 3 days per week in the climatic chamber. There was no significant change either of rectal or of ear skin temperature during the acclimatization process. On the other hand, metabolic heat production was progressively reduced (20% in the 7th week). Slight changes of mean skin temperature and respiratory evaporative heat loss could not account for compensation. Therefore it must be concluded that both adaptive improvement of peripheral insulation and reduction of heat production were achieved during the acclimatization process. Both processes together ensure that deviations of core temperature are minimal. The possible origin of the functional adaptive effects is discussed. The results are in full agreement both with former neurophysiological results and with system-theoretical considerations of adaptive processes.